


Word to the Wise

by mirelia853



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Bromance, Crush, Gen, Shepard/Alenko relationship, friendships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-25
Updated: 2013-01-25
Packaged: 2017-11-26 20:39:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/654190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirelia853/pseuds/mirelia853
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James sees his 'ship sister' has a crush on Shepard and steps in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Word to the Wise

“Hey Sammi, you listening to me?”

James Vega chuckled as Samantha Traynor’s glazed eyes turned on him, “Hmm? Sorry, I was just... “ He smirked as she waved a hand, trying to describe the word she was missing.

“Distracted. Yeah, I noticed.”

James had seen the woman he thought of as a little sister blush when the Commander came over to speak to them two of them while they were sat at the long table in the mess, eating a late breakfast. Brianna Shepard was a feisty redhead, someone he’d had the occasional run in with since coming on board the Normandy. But he thought the woman an excellent commanding officer. James had watched Samantha’s reaction, especially as the Commander walked away and to see just how much attention the woman was paying to him, he’d asked if she wanted to train with him, something the woman had been suggesting for weeks.

“Eyes front, specialist!” he teased, taking a drink of orange juice.

“Hey! I was… I was just thinking that’s all.” Samantha replied, then seem to groan, as if regretting her words, her cheeks reddening further.

“Hell, Sam. You’re so obvious.” He stood up and picked his plate up. “So, you wanna go train, or what?”

=+=+=+=+=+=  


_Shuffle, punch, smack._

“Sammi, you can hit me a little harder, you know? I don’t break.” James watched. Samantha was fit, did as much exercise as she could do while on the Normandy, using the Shuttle Bay as a running track. But her upper body strength was needing a workout. A few more training sessions she might become a decent opponent.

“Yeah, Samantha, punch him right on the chin,” Steve Cortez smirked as the two of them ‘danced’.

“Pfft, whatever Esteban.”

_Whack, smack, kick._

Vega caught her foot with his hand before it actually kicked him. Already, Samantha was starting to look exhausted. “Maybe we should stop it there. You look tired.” He handed her a towel and a bottle of water, knowing she was on duty in a few hours.

The woman swigged the water back and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Putting a hand on his ‘little sister’s shoulder, James frowned a little. He had to say something. This girl had a crush the size of Tuchanka on Lola. He could understand it, but he was not wanting to see Samantha hurt. Thinking about his own sister, James cleared his throat.

“What?” Samantha looked up at him, looking perplexed, nose wrinkling.

“Hey, I saw it you know.” James Vega took the bottle off her and drank some water, his voice low so Cortez wouldn’t hear.

“Saw what?” She coughed and tried to sound innocent. Failed of course. The girl wore her emotions on her sleeve, hell, in her voice if that tremble was anything to go by.

Punching her playfully on the top of the arm, in return, “Come on, Sammi. I saw it, remember?” Pausing to make sure his words didn’t upset her too much. “Look, Brianna is not a simple woman, she has a complicated past."

"Oh?" James watched her query him and he suddenly wondered if he was doing the right thing. _Yes, your sister would want to know so Sammi will too._

"You know Major Alenko?" She gave a hesitant nod before he continued on. "Well him and the Commander have a past." _And a future, judging by the sly looks the two had been throwing..._

She nodded as James watched her carefully. It was almost as if she was trying to figure something out in her mind, foot pressing at a pile of boxes. “You mean, the Commander and Major Alenko are… ?” Groaning almost comically, she smacked the heel of her hand into her forehead.

“Shit!” Samantha hissed. James had not heard her swear much and it came as a bit of a surprise. “How could I be so stupid!”

“Hey, don’t get annoyed with yourself. I just thought you should know.” He knew had some of the others seen Samantha getting all hung up over Shepard, they’d tease her mercilessly. His hand rubbed her shoulder, not wanting her to get upset. James knew she liked women and that didn’t matter to him. He found out the first time he called her Sammi and she thought he was flirting with her. Her awkwardness had nearly made him laugh out loud but he had grown to like this girl. Sammi was his ‘ship sister’ and he thought she at least deserved to know the truth.

Pulling her into a bear hug and throwing Cortez a ‘don’t go there’ look, he hugged her tightly. Sniffling, she paused before hugging him back. “I smell sweaty. I would say don’t get too close’ but it’s too late for that.”

Vega smirked, “You smell just fine. Beside I’m not exactly smelling of lavender over here.” He paused, not sure what to say as the girl had pretty much figured out his ‘news’ on her own. Maybe she had seen them together?

Holding her by the shoulders, he looked into her brown eyes and shrugged. “Sorry to break it to you like this kiddo, but you needed to know.”

Samantha nodded. "Thanks for that, big guy." Her voice still trembled but James knew, give it a few days, she would be just fine. 

He grinned, as an idea came to mind. "Hey, you like blue, right?"

It took a few hours, but eventually a no longer confused Samantha walked up to him and punched him on the arm, hard. "James!"

The big guy just laughed. _Yeah, she’d be alright._


End file.
